Rytas Vilnius has reached an agreement with ALBA Berlin for the return of 208 cm center Martynas Echodas to the capital. After a season-and-a-half break, the big man returns to Vilnius to once again wear the black, white, and red jersey.
“We are delighted that Martynas is coming home. He is a player who knows the head coach, our system, and the club’s internal values perfectly, so we believe his integration into the team’s processes will be extremely fast,” said Artūras Jomantas, Sports Director of Rytas Vilnius. “Considering that we face a true marathon of games in April and May, and have recently been suffering significantly from injuries, we sought not only to add depth to our frontcourt rotation but also to acquire a player who has been with a club and involved in a regular training process. We saw that Martynas couldn’t fully realize his potential while playing in Germany, but he knows the environment here well, so we hope his international experience will help us”
His recent career stage in Germany was marked by a limited role, partly due to the fact that he spent a large portion of this season recovering from an injury. In the German Basketball League, he averaged just over 7 minutes on the court, recording 3.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.3 blocks. In the FIBA Champions League, while representing the Berlin club, the player recorded similar statistics—2.8 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. However, his skill level is best reflected by his previous achievements: during the 2024–2025 season playing for Manisa BBSK in Turkey, he averaged 15.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and a 21.6 efficiency rating in the FIBA Champions League.
Martynas Echodas’ last season in Vilnius was also marked by solid stability. In the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL), he averaged 12 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 17.6 efficiency points, helping the team win the 2023-2024 LKL championship rings. Meanwhile, during the 2023–2024 FIBA Champions League season with Rytas, he averaged 12.1 points and 6.7 rebounds.
Echodas has already successfully passed his medical examination and will soon join the team’s training sessions. He is expected to take the court as early as this weekend. Fans will certainly see the returning center on the floor on April 1st, when Rytas faces Nymburg in their most important battle of the season so far—the start of the FIBA Champions League Top 8 stage. Tickets are available at bilietai.lt.